Not all older nurses eat their young...

I am a nrsg student and also work as a nrsg assistant at the local hospital. I've only been working there for about 7 weeks, and it's my first healthcare job, but I am already making a good impression on some of the charge nurses on the units I get assigned to. I still feel like I'm going too slow and am lost at times, but the nurses all seem to appreciate my efforts, so I guess I'm getting the hang of it more than I would admit.

Anyway, a recent assignment in the ICU, and the kind words of an older head nurse, erased any doubts I had about whether nursing would be the right fit for me.

I was assigned to watch a pt who was confused and kept trying to get out of bed. I came in at 3pm, and by 3:30, I had already had to pull him back into the bed 3 times. Then things started going south. The nurses thought his color was bad, and his respirations were shalllow and too fast for their liking. Vitals were all out of whack. Within minutes, three nurses, a doctor, and two resp therapists were starting new IVs and administering meds, and they decided to intubate him. At the same time, the pt was defecating. I knew I couldn't clean him until they were done, but I didn't know whether or not to pitch in and assist them or stand out of the way until they were finished. I decided to stand at the end of the bed and hold the pt's legs down, as he was flailing about during the intubation. I did whatever else they needed another set of hands for as things progressed.

Near the end, the doctor asked who I was, to which I just said "Oh, I'm nobody. Just an assistant." A few minutes later, the charge nurse told me she thought I did a good job. She asked if I was in school, and when I told her I was, she said I will make a fine nurse. I thanked her and stayed calm, but inside I was so happy to hear her say that! I could tell she's had a lot of time in, and she is well respected, so hearing her compliment just made my week! The last time a compliment made me feel that good was at the end of last semester, when one of my professors who I really respect paid me some nice compliments on my work.

Anyway, these nurses may not realize how appreciated their words are, but they have really helped me believe in what I'm trying to accomplish and have made me want to work even harder and learn even more in order to keep doing better. So, if any of you older nurses find yourselves working with new nurses or nrsg students, let them know when you think they are doing well. You may not think much of it, but it really helps!